9280 ft.), carrying the
Akhty military road from the valley of the Samur up past the Shah-dagh
and the Bazar-dyusi to the valley of the Alazan.

The _flora_ of this section bears a general resemblance to that farther
west. Ample details will be found in Dr G. Radde's (1831-1903)
monographs on Daghestan, quoted at the end of the present article.

4. The EASTERN SECTION of the Caucasus gradually dies away east of
Baba-dagh (11,930 ft.) towards the Caspian, terminating finally in the
peninsula of Apsheron. It is, however, continued under the waters of the
Caspian, as stated in the article on that sea, and reappears on its
eastern side in the Kopet-dagh, which skirts the north-east frontier of
Persia. In this section of the Caucasus no peak exceeds 9000 ft. in
altitude and the crest of the main range retains no snow. The most
frequented pass, that of Alty-agach, necessitates a climb of not more
than 4355 ft.

_Slopes of Range._--Between the northern and the southern sides of the
range there is quite as great a difference in climate, productions and
scenery as there is between the Swiss and the Italian sides of the Alps.
In the south-western valleys and on the south-western slopes of the
Caucasus, where a heavy rainfall is combined with a warm temperature,
magnificent forests clothe the mountain-sides and dip their skirts into
the waters of the Black Sea. There not only the littoral from (say)
Sukhum-Kaleh to Batum but the inland parts of the basin of the Rion will
bear comparison with any of the provinces of Italy in point of
fertility, and in richness and variety of products. But farther inland,
upon proceeding eastwards towards Tiflis, a great change becomes
noticeable on the other side of the transverse ridge of the Suram or
Meskes mountains. Arid upland plains and parched hillsides take the
place of the rich verdure and luxuriant arborescent growth of Imeretia,
Svanetia and Mingrelia, the districts which occupy the valleys of the
Ingur and Rion and the tributaries of the latter. A very similar change
likewise becomes noticeable in the higher regions of the Caucasus
Mountains upon proceeding north of the pass of Mamison, which separates
the head-waters of the Rion from those of the Ardon, an important
tributary of the Terek. The valleys of the two streams last mentioned,
and of others that flow in the same direction, are almost wholly
destitute of trees, but where the bare rock does not prevail, the
mountain slopes ar